


Stand, Hold Hands, and Sing

by lferion



Category: Original Work, Political RPF - US 21st c.
Genre: Gen, Inspired by Real Events, Inspired by Twitter, Poetry, Protests, Solidarity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-21
Updated: 2017-01-21
Packaged: 2018-09-18 22:43:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 184
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9406040
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lferion/pseuds/lferion
Summary: This is not a joyful fight





	

**Author's Note:**

> Elizabeth Bear (Karen Memory, Iskryne) wrote a series of tweets that she then put on Storify [here](https://storify.com/matociquala/you-have-a-right-to-your-space-in-the-world), most particularly the [last tweet](https://twitter.com/matociquala/status/822446352449884162) in the set, all the more effective for how it was led up to. 
> 
> Then lannamichaels posted [ A Sestina for January 20, 2017.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/9399146)
> 
> This poem emerged from my reading of those pieces, and my feelings on this day.

This is not a joyful fight but oh  
So necessary, to hold the line,  
To stand and sing, link arms  
And hold each other up

To stand again, and sing  
The needful, angry, human things  
Of personhood for all, of love  
And life, and what hurts one hurts all

We will stumble, fall, fail, retreat  
And weep, rage, cry out in grief  
And then stand up again, and face  
The opposition, ignorance and greed

With hands held high, our fingers laced  
Together, stronger thus, holding on  
And singing out, our voices raised  
Undaunted, steadfast, loud

We will not be silenced, shamed  
Or set aside. We will resist  
Erasure, erosion of our rights  
Threats to all our persons

We will shout and call and write  
March and knit and vehemently make  
Our strong objections known  
We will defend and advocate 

And we will laugh and love  
Find joy in moments, beauty  
Where it comes, hope like weeds  
Tenacious, rooted deep

We will stand until we fall  
And others take our place  
We will not despair, but strive  
And we will sing, and sing, and sing.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [, And Sing](https://archiveofourown.org/works/9428843) by [AthenaBorozon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AthenaBorozon/pseuds/AthenaBorozon)




End file.
